Best/busiest cities to be an instructor?
 

I finished my multi-commercial a couple months ago and intend to get my single commercial and my CFI.
I'm in Denver, which, as of late, isn't exactly exploding with new students. I'm willing to move and am looking for tips on busy cities. I figure, upon finding a busy city, to move there and take my CFI rating at a local flight school, with the intention of staying on to be an instructor.

Any tips on busy cities or good flight schools would be appreciated.

Get your COM SE/CFI at a school that guarantees you students. It'll cost SIGNIFICANTLY more, but saves the you the hassle of interviewing/looking for jobs.

TransPac in DVT (AZ) is the closest to you in DEN:
Pilot Training School, Pilot Career | TransPac Aviation Academy

See:
# Certified Flight Instructor Initial Multi Engine
# Commercial and CFI Single Engine Add-On

I fly 5-8 hours a day in Phoenix and we're hiring instructors and I know other companies down here are hiring as well. I'm building hours very fast but I can't say that this is a good job. Apply at your own risk.

Transpac doesn't accept domestic students anymore. It's all Chinese contract now.

Pick a place that isn't still reeling from the recession. Houston was good to me. Oil money wont dry up in the near future.

Florida, Texas, Arizona, California are good bets. Stay away from the cold weather climates if you want to stay busy as a CFI!

Is this because of the poor quality of the students? Other users here have said that teaching there is a risk factor simply due to the poor quality of students they get, and FAA comes after instructors a bit more to reduce the problem. Whenever I have flown out of DVT I literally heard the most frustrated ATC radio transmissions ever. They must get to the breaking point every now and then. Many of the flight students really are not competent in English.

Poor quality of students, extremely long work days (10 hours a day minimum when you're paid for 8), stress of flying in DVT airspace. I usually come home from work every day with little to no energy or will to do anything else. I fly a ton of hours but the stress builds up fast.

Most of the instructors here have been here less than a year. A lot of people will get burnt out and leave, or get their airline minimums and get out.

The FAA database shows they have more than 20 Seminoles and I am sure they draw more than enough MEIs wanting to build time in that fleet. Big supply means poor quality of life and long hours. I wonder how often the instructors get hounded by the FAA for issues brought on by poor English. I can imagine major mistakes come from that. That would seem to be the worst issue in working there, not knowing how well the student understands and what he might do being confused.

Any other good schools you know of near there? I hear good things about Westwind and Chandler. I am thinking about taking a year off to instruct in multis now that my other job is over.

Can't speak for WestWind at DVT (havn't trained there since 94). At Chandler Air Service we only hire those that we have trained, but it is not a guarantee. Supply and demand. Our current cadre of instructors are an older group. Our youngest is 35 and the oldest is in their 60's. Also we are have a tailwheel and aerobatic specialty, so we look for instructors that want to stay more long term.

As far as teaching in multi, an instructor that is an assistant chieft and has been here for six years, is finally getting the nod to get his MEI and teach for us in our Aztec. First though he taught primary for a few years, then tailwheel and aerobatics for a few more, assigned to assistant chief status and now will be doing his MEI. Though honestly, he could care less about going to the airlines.

We have had many go to the airlines and move on over the years, but our structure has changed and alot of our instructors are now career instructors. I myself have been here for almost four years.

There are few traditional FBO's left in the Phoenix area, with a majority of the instructor positions being at the foreign academies.

And actually, to the Transpac instructors, either you guys have done alot better with the language skills of your students, or we are just getting used to them, but sounds like things are getting alot better over there.

Good luck.

Opportunities in Houston
 

I'm in the process of making plans to go to flight school in Houston and I want to instruct there after. I'll probably go to ATP because I want to get through training quickly but I know they pay peanuts to their instructors. Are there good opportunities in Houston for flight instructors fresh out of training (with about 250 hours) that pay decent?